I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
2 Timothy 4:7,8
Finish the Race
The average time it takes to run a marathon is four hours and nineteen minutes. It is a long, grueling race of twenty-six point two miles. Along the way, a runner can experience heat exhaustion, cramping and dehydration. Perhaps this is why very few people have ever attempted to run a marathon. It takes a remarkable amount of dedication and effort. But for those who decide to take on this challenge and are able to complete it, the sense of accomplishment is euphoric.
One woman described her first marathon this way, "I heard from others that there comes a point when your legs go numb and you’re just charging forward like a machine…I was looking forward to this moment the entire race, but sadly all I felt was the pain, and believe me, the pain was REAL. My leg sockets and knees where shot (I could feel my joints grinding), and foot cramps would surprise attack me. I was practically limping. Obviously I was in pure misery…but the moment I crossed the finish line, I felt all that pain…was worth it. SO WORTH IT. Through all this misery and pain, I would never trade the experience for anything else. The feeling of triumph, of having conquered your own mind and body by pushing it beyond your self-imposed limits…there’s nothing like it."1
The apostle Paul had this image in mind when he wrote to his friend, Timothy. Paul was in prison, waiting to be executed. But he did not despair. In fact, he rejoiced. He had nearly completed his life's journey and, by God's grace, he still trusted in Jesus. He trusted that Jesus would keep his promise and grant Paul an eternal life once his time here on earth was done.
Paul was not alone. Jesus makes the same promise to every one of his followers. Let this be your comfort when the pain of living this life seems overwhelming. Jesus will give you the strength you need to reach the finish line. And, like Paul, you will receive the crown of eternal life.
1Jamie Yoo on the website Quora, July 24, 2015.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you know how long and difficult this life can be. Give me the strength I need to endure. Help me trust in you this day and every day until I cross the finish line and enter the heavenly rest you won for me. Amen.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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